Tiffani's Story, cont'd: Her Iraq Vet dad with PTSD, alcoholism returns to war

By GottaLaff

I've written about my student,Tiffani, whose father returned from Iraq, and now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Sadly, he's added one more syndrome to his list: He has become an abusive husband and father. As I wrote here, Tiffani showed up at school with a black and blue face. Family services has now separated her from her dad, as well as from her little brother.

Once again, on behalf of Tiffani and her family, I'd like to thank George Bush for the opportunity he has afforded them, as well as countless other families who suffer needlessly. Because of his generosity, they've received the gift of their own version of torture: Pain, sorrow, misery, devastation. Oh, and let's not forget that another marriage is being destroyed, too, thanks to the former pro-marriage, family values Spewer in Chief.

There's a sick coda to this story: The in-badly-need-of-serious-help Iraq veteran has now volunteered to return to active overseas duty as a way of escaping from these recent personal life-changing tragedies. He's set to be shipped to Afghanistan in June.

How can this be allowed to happen? This poor man is not fit for duty. He needs psychological counseling, rehab, and so much more. Does the military stop screening once someone has served? He's gone to the V.A. for treatment, but only a couple of times. Is there no record of this that would help prevent his exposure to more of what caused the trauma in the first place? And what about the danger he'd put his fellow soldiers in?

My heart goes out to Tiffani, whose heart and family are broken and appear to be beyond repair.

VIDEO: Vets group founder Paul Rieckhoff talks soldier suicide rates; I talk Vet daughter's trauma

By GottaLaff

Last week we talked with Paul Rieckhoff, executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. In part two of the interview, we talked to Paul about Vet head injuries, rising suicide rates among returning soldiers, and how the economic crisis is effecting military families.

Paul is an amazing guy. You may have seen him on the Rachel Maddow Show or Countdown, where he makes numerous appearances and for good reason. I've Tweeted with him on Twitter, and he's one of the few well-knowns who actually Tweeted back.

His web site is here.

Slightly off topic, but some of you may remember my student whose father was in Iraq. I've posted several e-mails from her (unfortunately, only one is available, the others were from our old site and are gone) about the anguish and angst she felt while he was there.

He's back now, has been for several months, but sadly, has lapsed into PTSD, alcoholism, and domestic violence. This is a guy who I've met, who is a sweet, caring man, but who suffers needlessly because of Bush's immoral, illegal invasion. My student came to school with a prominent bruise on her face, at a total loss about how to proceed.

They've tried getting him into a Veteran's program, but that's not easy. They only provide so many meetings and only so much treatment. His depression prevents him from taking any initiative whatsoever, and so he isn't making progress. In fact, he's sinking more deeply into his post-Iraq abyss.

And because he has changed drastically, his family is living in their own private hell.

Thanks for nothing, George Bush.

Conversely, a sincere thank you to Paul Rieckhoff for doing what he does.

Post traumatic stress disorder, Tiffani's dad, and John McCain

By GottaLaff

As some of you may know from older posts, one of my dearest students, Tiffani, now 15, has had a very tough year (I'd link you, but our archives aren't available). Her father, 33, was sent to Iraq. His job? He drove the vehicles that escorted other vehicles to and from Baghdad.

I spent the past year comforting Tiffani as best I could, knowing full well he had been assigned one of this fraudulent, bloody occupation's deadliest missions. She knew that, too. There were so many days that I'd see her dissolve into tears, terrified that she would never see her dad again. She'd hover over her cell phone waiting for a pre-arranged call, and when it didn't come, she'd worry herself sick until she got word that he was still alive. Recently, his Humvee got hit by a roadside bomb, but he made it out alive. His friend didn't.

Tiffani coped by writing a heart-wrenching monologue about her fears, and about her bitterness over his missing that very piece when she performed it brilliantly in a show we did back in November. She coped by sharing her feelings and accepting support.

Finally, finally... her dad came home, and in one piece. He arrived last Friday, and made it to our next show, on closing night this past Saturday. Tiffani was literally overcome with joy and relief... until today.

This afternoon she told me that her dad has PTSD. Last night someone in their neighborhood set off fireworks. Tiffani's father fell to the floor, covering his head, and shook. And shook. He's also started drinking heavily.

He's not alone:

Newly diagnosed cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan surged 46.4 percent in 2007, bringing the five-year total to nearly 40,000, according to U.S. military data released on Tuesday.

The statistics, released by the Army, showed the number of new PTSD cases formally diagnosed at U.S. military facilities climbed to 13,981 last year from 9,549 in 2006.

The numbers rose as President George W. Bush poured extra forces into Iraq to try to quell sectarian violence and extended Army tours from 12 to 15 months.

I found myself gently warning Tiffani to expect a long, difficult struggle as he tries to deal with this.

Symptoms range from irritability and outbursts of anger to sleep difficulties, trouble concentrating, extreme vigilance and an exaggerated startle response. People with the condition can persistently relive the traumatic events that initially induced horror or helplessness.

The Pentagon has come under mounting political pressure in recent years to enhance treatment for PTSD amid criticism that initial programs were inadequate.

Tiffani was excused from school early today to go to a meeting at a veterans' group with her father to start the painful process of teaching the family to cope, and to hopefully convince her dad to begin treatment. She told me just before she left for that meeting that he refuses to speak to anyone.

Army officials on Tuesday emphasized that the data do not reflect the actual number of troops and war veterans who suffer from PTSD, many of whom do not seek treatment or have been diagnosed at civilian facilities where records are confidential.

A recent study by the RAND Corp. estimated about 300,000 troops, or 18.5 percent, of the more than 1.5 million troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan exhibit symptoms of either PTSD or depression.

All I can do is give Tiffani hugs and words of encouragement. All she can do is hope her dad returns to someone who resembles his old self... and offer him every bit of love and encouragement a terrified 15-year-old can.

Thank you, George W. Bush. Anyone who feels anything for Tiffani should remember that John Sidney McCain promises her, and the rest of us, more of the same.

Note: I just added John McCain's name to the title. He should be linked to this story in a more obvious way.